UPDATE: Lyons: For homeless, continual migration

Published: Monday, February 25, 2013 at 10:54 p.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, February 26, 2013 at 1:33 p.m.

Gillespie Park is a park again.

Facts

UPDATE

This column was online but had barely rolled off the presses when Sarasota Police changed tactics on Florida Avenue's sidewalk homeless encampment.

After midnight on Tuesday morning, the homeless people camped there were unexpectedly rousted out. Police say they took some people to the Salvation Army, which doesn't routinely allow such late arrivals.

The surprise wasn't that police might make a move to remove the people there, but rather the sudden and unannounced late-night raid approach after a period of tolerating the street-side camp scene.

Given the city manager and police chief's stated commitment to a more comprehensive approach to dealing with homelessness, that was unexpected.

The pavilion looks neat and ready for family picnics. In the tree-fringed stretch of grass nearby, charter school kids in matching T-shirts played Frisbee on Monday morning. There was even a birthday party there a few days ago, I'm told.

Amazing.

The park in this old Sarasota neighborhood had become a hangout owned by the homeless.

That started several months back, at about the time the city removed the benches at downtown Sarasota's Five Points Park to chase the homeless loiterers from that spot.

Gillespie's pavilion was a draw, with roof, tables, electric outlets and a grill. But local residents were creeped out as the most visible park activities became group loitering and smoking.

Loiterers were ordered out each night, but came back every morning. Bags stuffed with possessions signaled that the pavilion had again been claimed for the day.

That has all changed. Linda Holland, a City Commission candidate and longtime Gillespie neighborhood organizer, told me neighbors are just starting to believe it.

Cassandra DeCoursey, 47, says the presence included a clear message: move or be arrested. It is illegal to sleep on the sidewalk.

But DeCoursey, homeless "off and on since 2005, when my husband died," said she isn't complaining. The implied deal was that they would be left alone, more or less, if they moved to less-visible Florida Avenue and away from Central's storefront businesses.

That has worked out, she said, as she sat in the sun on her sleeping bag at her new spot on Florida.

The sidewalk is lined with lounging homeless people every night. Many of their possessions stay all day, as do some of the people.

It is just as illegal to sleep there as on Central, but police usually let it slide. Usually, only the troublemakers get police attention.

"They've been kind of nice and friendly lately," DeCoursey said.

John Romain, 63, a former construction worker from the Caribbean who says he has not been able to get off the streets despite becoming sober, told me the police still roust him if he sleeps in a nearby vacant lot. The ground is softer and there is less noise away from the crowded sidewalk.

"There are too many people here now," he said. "There is always quarrelling."

Tammy Burns helps homeless people at a part-time "coffee shop" nearby. She and her husband opened to offer a place for homeless people to play games, talk, and get out of the weather. She, too, says police are being tolerant about the Florida Avenue scene.

But word is out that it might not last.

Though below the radar compared to Gillespie or Five Points or even Central Avenue, Florida Avenue is visible from high-rise condos a few blocks away. Residents complain.

And, police say, parents bringing kids to and from the Sarasota School of Arts and Sciences charter school often drive on Florida Avenue.

Some now complain about homeless people milling around and walking in the street.

<p>Gillespie Park is a park again.</p><p>The pavilion looks neat and ready for family picnics. In the tree-fringed stretch of grass nearby, charter school kids in matching T-shirts played Frisbee on Monday morning. There was even a birthday party there a few days ago, I'm told.</p><p>Amazing.</p><p>The park in this old Sarasota neighborhood had become a hangout owned by the homeless.</p><p>That started several months back, at about the time the city removed the benches at downtown Sarasota's Five Points Park to chase the homeless loiterers from that spot.</p><p>Gillespie's pavilion was a draw, with roof, tables, electric outlets and a grill. But local residents were creeped out as the most visible park activities became group loitering and smoking.</p><p>Loiterers were ordered out each night, but came back every morning. Bags stuffed with possessions signaled that the pavilion had again been claimed for the day.</p><p>That has all changed. Linda Holland, a City Commission candidate and longtime Gillespie neighborhood organizer, told me neighbors are just starting to believe it. </p><p>They are returning to walk dogs and bringing kids to play.</p><p>It's no secret what happened. A half dozen homeless people told me police attention became unbearable. Even when police weren't really doing much — just watching, asking questions, giving warnings about rules — the loiterers feared the tiniest rule violation might mean arrest.</p><p>So they moved, many just several blocks west.</p><p>Then, the city got complaints about a similar and growing gathering place on Central Avenue, near the Salvation Army center.</p><p>But hey, it didn't take weeks to make that problem move. </p><p>Overnight, the many sidewalk loiterers and campers evacuated Central, many to a spot just a block west on Florida Avenue.</p><p>How did police make that happen?</p><p>Accounts vary. The police chief says officers just increased their "presence" there.</p><p>Cassandra DeCoursey, 47, says the presence included a clear message: move or be arrested. It is illegal to sleep on the sidewalk.</p><p>But DeCoursey, homeless "off and on since 2005, when my husband died," said she isn't complaining. The implied deal was that they would be left alone, more or less, if they moved to less-visible Florida Avenue and away from Central's storefront businesses.</p><p>That has worked out, she said, as she sat in the sun on her sleeping bag at her new spot on Florida.</p><p>The sidewalk is lined with lounging homeless people every night. Many of their possessions stay all day, as do some of the people.</p><p>It is just as illegal to sleep there as on Central, but police usually let it slide. Usually, only the troublemakers get police attention.</p><p>"They've been kind of nice and friendly lately," DeCoursey said.</p><p>John Romain, 63, a former construction worker from the Caribbean who says he has not been able to get off the streets despite becoming sober, told me the police still roust him if he sleeps in a nearby vacant lot. The ground is softer and there is less noise away from the crowded sidewalk.</p><p>"There are too many people here now," he said. "There is always quarrelling."</p><p>Tammy Burns helps homeless people at a part-time "coffee shop" nearby. She and her husband opened to offer a place for homeless people to play games, talk, and get out of the weather. She, too, says police are being tolerant about the Florida Avenue scene. </p><p>But word is out that it might not last.</p><p>Though below the radar compared to Gillespie or Five Points or even Central Avenue, Florida Avenue is visible from high-rise condos a few blocks away. Residents complain. </p><p>And, police say, parents bringing kids to and from the Sarasota School of Arts and Sciences charter school often drive on Florida Avenue. </p><p>Some now complain about homeless people milling around and walking in the street.</p><p>Burns figures the unofficial agreement about Florida Avenue won't last.</p><p>"They won't be able to stay there very long, either," Burns said.</p><p>I can't predict what will happen next in this police-prodded migration. But if you plan to have a picnic at the Gillespie Park pavilion, you might want to hurry.</p><p></p><p><i>Tom Lyons can be contacted at tom.lyons@heraldtribune.com or (941) 361-4964.</i></p>